January 16, 1786

Virginia “Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” Was Adopted

The Virginia General Assembly adopted the Virginia “Act for Establishing Religious Freedom,” originally proposed by Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) in 1779. The statute declared that the state could not force any person to support or practice any religious denomination and prohibited the state from interfering with the religious practices of any person. The Virginia “Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” has been incorporated into other states' constitutions, and as a result has inspired many supporters of religious freedom.